Wire-stretching machine



E. J. ELIAS WIRE STRETCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION mm June. 1921.

Patented May 9, 1922.

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- nLrAs J. ELrAsjor OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

WIRE-STRETCHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented May 2,

Application filed June 8, 1921. Serial-No. 47 ,059.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Runs J. ELiAs, a citi-v zen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ,lVire- Stretching Machines, of which the following isa specification'.

The present invention relates to wire stretching machines adapted particularly for use in. stretching the strands during fence construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple device which may be easily attached to a fence post and which. may bev used to advantage in stretching the barbed strands of wire forming the body portion of a fence.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character with means for preventing the twisting of the strands as the latter are drawn. taut, thus preventing the disintegration and weakening of the strands and the destruction'of the spurs which are formed thereon.

The invention still further aimsv at the provision of a structure of this character which may be quickly and easily adjusted to: fence posts of various diameters and which may be rigidly clamped thereon.

The. above and various other-objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described in and in part understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment the same being illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wire stretching machine constructed according to the present invention and as mounted upon a fence post and having a wire strandv atv tached thereto in position to be stretched.

Fig. 2 is afragrnentary sectional view", enlarged, of the head and the screw shaft connected thereto. 7

i is a top. plan view of the device as applied. to afence post, parts being broken away. v

Fig, L. is an enlarged vertical section through one of the clamps employed for securing the wire strand to the device.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a fence post and 11 designates wire strands attached to; the posts and forming therewith the fence. The device for stretching the wire strands across the posts 10, embodies. a 5

.to. bind against body plate 13 adapted to be arranged vertically and, providedat its lower forward and rear corners with enlarged and internally threaded eye pieces'la through which is supported a longitudinally extended shaft 15 which is threaded throughout substantially its entire length and which is considerably longer than the plate 13. The shaft 15 is provided upon its rear end with a crank handle 16 orother suitable device by means of which the shaft 15 may be rotated in o-pposite directions.

The body plate 13 is provided with a seating jaw 17 upon its inner side and which has an inner serrated or corrugated face presenting teeth adapted to bite into the adjacent side of the jaws 10 for holding the plate from slipping when subjected to pressure.

The body plate 18;also has an inwardly extending arm 18 which is provided in its upper edge with a plurality of transverse spaced apart notches 18 adapted to receive therein the links of a chain 19, which chain is adapted to be drawn around the jaws 10 and. has one end anchored in a screw eye 20 threaded through the plate 13 and through outstanding bracket or brace 21 carried by the plate. Fixed; upon theouter end of the screw eye 20 is a crank handle 22 by means of which the screw eye may be turned through the plate to draw the chain 19 more or less taut about the post 10. r

The forward end of the shaft 15 is upset to provide an enlarged head 23 behind which is rotatably mounted a collar 2a. the latter having a concavity or race way 25 in its forward side to receive ball bearings 26 and the .ball bearings being adapted to bear against the rear side of the head 23., The collar 2% is held toward, the head- 23 by a transverse pin 2'? which secured through the shaft 15 and which bears against the rear side of the collar. Projecting forwardly from the collar 12 and about the head 28 is a yoke 28 having upon itsforward end upstanding and rearwa-rdly directed hoop 29 over which is detachably engaged a staple or link 30 mounted upon a clamp '31. The

clamp 31. is substantially ofthe structure shown'in Fig. a and is provided with a handle 32 rising from one side of the clamp and-fixed'upon a rotatable shaft 33 ex- ,tending transversely through the clamp and carrying an eccentric at which is adapted the wirestrand 11. A fixed jaw or anvil 35 is arranged transversely in the'lower part of the clamp and is adapted to receive the strand 11 thereagainst when in the clamp. The clamp 31has at one side an elongated anchoring arm 37 which is of a length slightly greatervthanthe usual distance between the lower strand and the ground and between the various superposed,

strands. This-arm 37 is adapted to hold the clamp from turning and thus maintain the wire from twisting when subjected to the tension required for drawing the wire taut. To aid in this anchoring of the arm 37, the latter may be provided with a rope or other flexible connector 38 attached to the lower end 'of the arm 37 and extending transversely and rearwardly'to the arm 18 of the body plate, the rope 38 being secured through a selected notch 18 of the arm 18 for holding the clamp substantially rigid.

The body plate l3-carries a second clamp 39 which is of similar form to the clamp 31 but which has at opposite sides depending projections or fork arms 40 which straddle the upper edge of the plate 14 and which are detachably secured thereto by transverse bolts 41 secured through the arms 40 and the body plate 13. The eccentrics 34E of the clamps are normally urged toward the wire strand 11 by springs 42 which'each have one end connected to the hand lever 32 of the clamp and its other end connected to the body of the clamp. The clamps are released manually by forcing the handles 32, against the tension of the springs 42 for lifting the eccentrics 34 out of engagement with the wire strand.

In use the body plate is pressed against one side of a dispose the shaft15 substantially in line with the strand 11 to be drawn taut. The screw eye 20 is turned backwardly through the plate and the chain 19 is secured in an adjacent notch 18. The handle 22 is now turned for drawing the chain 19 taut about the post. This tightening of the chain binds the block 17 firmly against the postand holds the body plate from swingin gthereon. The wire strand 11 is threaded first through the clampBl and then through the clamp 39.

The hoop 29 of the yoke is engaged inthe' staple 30 of the clamp 31' for coupling the latter clamp to the shaft. The handle 16 is now turned to feed the shaft 15 rearwardly and draw the'clamp 31 and the wire strand 11 secured therein for tightening the strand. As the arm 37 which is held by the flexible connector 38 engages an adjacent object, such as the the clamp 81 is held from turning and cons quent y the wire strand ll cannotwiden applied to a second post.

post 10 at such height as to.

member during the ground or an adjacent wire strand,

or be turned. when subjected to tensional .15. may then'be turned and fed forwardly into its extended position. The clamp 31 is carried loosely over the strand 11 into proper position for securing a new grip upon the strand. The operation is again repeated until the desired tension is placed'upon the wire strand 11. When this is accomplished the screw eye 20 may be relaxed to loosen the chain 19 andthe entir'edevice be quickly removed from the post 10 and may be quickly It is an important feature to maintain the wire strand from twisting duringth'e operation of drawing the wire strand taut.

This is particularly useful in erecting the barbed Wire fences as it prevents the destruc tion of the spurs or other are carried by the strands.

It is of'course understood that various.

projections which changes and modifications may be made in the detailsof design, size, proportion and materials of the above specifically described embodiment without spirit of this invention, such changes and modifications being restricted scope of the following claims. I What is claimed is:

- 1. In a wire fence strand stretcher, a body portion .provided with an arm adapted to only by the departing from the engage across a post, a chain carried'byfthe body portion adapted to engage aboutthe post said arm having means for adjustably receiving an end of the chain therein means connected to the other end of the chain for drawing the same taut about the post whereby to bind the body portion against the post, a movable member carried by the body por tion and a clamp mounted in the movable member adapted to engage a,wire strand whereby upon operation of the movable inembers'aid strand may be drawn taut. 3

2. A wire stretcher comprising a body member, means for detachably securing the body member to a fence post. a threaded shaft mounted inthe body member andhaving a head on its forward end. a collar rotatablv mounted upon the shaft in rear of thehead and having a yoke projecting outwardly about the head, a clamp detachably connected to the yoke and adapted to engage awir'e strand, means for turning the shaft whereby to 'draw the clamp and the wire strand toward the body member, said clamp having an extension arm' thereon adapted to engage the ground for retaining and means for binding the strand to the body return of said shaft and said first clamp. i

3. A wire' stretcher comprising a body the clamp from turning,

plate having, an inwardly extending arm adapted to extend across afence post, a screw ed shaft carried upon the body plate and being of greater length than the same and adapted to be turned for moving the shaft axially through the plate, a yoke carried upon the outer end of the shaft, a clamp detachably connected to the yoke and adapted to engage a wire strand, and a second clamp mounted on the plate for engagement with said wire strand whereby to hold the same taut during the shifting of said first clamp to obtain a new grip upon the wire strand.

4. A wire fence stretcher comprising a body plate having internally threaded eye pieces at its lower corners, a seating block on its inner side adapted to engage against a fence post and an inwardly extending arm adapted to project across the side of the post, said arm having notches in its upper edge, a

screw eye threaded through the upper plate and having a chain through its inner end adapted to engage about the fence post and detachablv interlock in the notches of said arm means for turning the screw eye to draw said chain taut about the post, an elongated externally threaded shaft carried in said eye pieces,'a yoke swivelly mounted upon the for-- ward end of the shaft, means for turning the shaft to move said yoke toward and from the plate and a clamp detachably mounted upon the outer end of said yoke and adapted for binding engagement with a wire strand, said clamp having an elongated arm projecting therefrom for contact with adjacent objects whereby to maintain the clamp from turning during operation of the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in'presence of two witnesses.

r ELIAS J. ELIAS.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. ST'URGES, HIRAM A. STURGES. 

